


Not Quite a Secret

by ElfrootAndEezo



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Affection, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Normandy-SR2, Public Display of Affection, Teasing, getting caught
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 11:24:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13410228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElfrootAndEezo/pseuds/ElfrootAndEezo
Summary: His presence made the weight of the universe a little easier to take.





	Not Quite a Secret

It wasn’t that they were keeping it a secret; they just weren’t broadcasting it. Between reapers, death and their own stubbornness they’d been through more than enough the last few years. Taking some time to rekindle their relationship in private was only logical.

 

Kaidan had lived through her death, he’d known the emptiness of her absence. Her own experience without him by her side after waking up to discover time had passed was enough. Watching him be taken out of action and a slow recovery in the Citadel had only made her surer. She needed him. He was the force that kept her going when everything seemed too much.

 

It was harder than it should have been, pretending she didn’t want to wrap her arms around him. It was like fighting her instincts. The slightest waft of his aftershave when he stood to close during a briefing was enough to stop her mid-sentence. The brush of their shoulders when they sat together to eat left her cheerful and oddly optimistic. His voice over the comms settled her doubts when she was fighting the impossible. His presence made the weight of the universe a little easier to take.

 

It was easy to forget that they were trying to avoid public affection. Especially when he was sitting so close to her, the deep hum of his voice as he flicked through reports stirring something in her. It was distracting, stealing the attention away from her own work. Her breath caught in her throat at the memory of other throaty sounds she’d heard from him.

 

She shifted, slowly, pressing her feet against his calf. She feigned innocence, ignoring the feel of his eyes on her until she heard a huff as he returned to his reports. She waited a moment before she began slowly rubbing her foot against his leg.

 

“Yes?” She glanced up at the sound of his voice. She smiled sweetly, shrugging and returning to the data pad in her hand.

 

Minutes ticked by before Shepard shifted again, throwing her legs over the arm rest as she lent against Kaidan’s side. She knew she was pushing their unspoken rule against pubic displays of affection, but she couldn’t help herself. The doors were open, and she couldn’t hear a single soul wandering the deck. She was just teasing, it wasn’t like she was just going to jump him in the starboard observatory.

 

Still, she couldn’t stop herself as she dropped her hand to rest on his thigh.

 

“Shepard.” His voice low and breathy. A warning.

 

Never one to give up, she continued tracing feather light touches down his thigh. The sound of his breath hitching was music to her ears, urging her on. Her touches teased his inner thigh as she abandoned the data pad opting to unzip her top a little.

 

Taking his arm in her hand she slipped his hand into her top, eyes fluttering as he took her breast in his hand. Shepard smiled, stroking him over his tightening pants. She knew they shouldn’t be doing it, not in such a public place anyhow. She hadn’t been so relaxed in so long. The stolen kisses and touches when nobody was looking had done nothing to satiate her desires since he returned to the Normandy. Two whole weeks or pretending they didn’t want to jump each other at every available opportunity. Two whole weeks of pretending they weren’t still madly in love, while in the presence of their crew mates.

 

It was intoxicating. _He_ was intoxicating. His arms wrapped around her, and pulled her onto his lap. She snaked her arms around his neck, smiling victoriously as his hands roamed. She arched her back as his thumbs brushed beneath her breasts.

 

“I love you,” Shepard smiled, pressing her forehead to his. “Always have, always will.”

 

Kaidan smashed his lips against hers, arms wrapping greedily around her. “Love you too.”

 

She hummed against pleasantly against his ear, trailing kisses along his jawline. Kaidan’s eyes fluttered shut as his head dipped back, fingers tightening their hold of her.

 

“Well, this looks fun.” Kaidan and Shepard both jumped, startled at the far too amused voice. Garrus stood by the door, leaning upon it casually. “Joker, you got that?”

 

The crackle of the comms was heard, followed by Joker’s unmistakable laugh. “That I did.”

 

Shepard groaned, her eyes flicking to the nearest camera and flipping it off. “Next reaper we find, the two of you are dinner.”

 

“We had bets.” Her best friend shrugged as though it excused the spying. “Vega was convinced you guys weren’t… well… you know. Whatever it is that you are.”

 

“EDI,” Shepard called. “Delete it.”

 

“Aww, come on.” Joker whined over the comms.

 

Kaidan stood, wrapping his arm around Shepard as he planted a kiss to her forehead. She sighed into it. She should have known. Boundaries and the Normandy had never worked before. Hell, she’d ended up sleeping with Kaidan when he was still a subordinate.

 

“I guess there’s no point hiding it.” She sighed, tucking her face into the crook of his neck. “We have to face the crew sometime.”

 

“I’ll be there with you.” Kaidan said, his breath warm and ticklish against her.

 

“Me too.” Garrus added sarcastically, amusement clear in his voice. “As long as you keep trying to fuck in public spaces.”

 

“Garrus!” Shepard cried, face painfully red.

 

Kaidan brushed his thumb along her reddened cheeks as Garrus laughed behind them. His lips brushed along her ear. “Captain’s Cabin?”

 

“God yes.”


End file.
